Tim Merlier: My best five wins of the year

The best sprinter in the world named the most important successes he got in his third year as a Soudal Quick-Step rider.

“It’s difficult to choose five, because every victory is a nice one, but I would start with the one I got on the opening day of the AlUla Tour, because it’s always good to start the season with a win, as getting one early gives you more motivation and shows that you had a solid winter.”

“Then I have to mention the first of the two stages I picked up in the UAE Tour. There, Milan had already won two stages by that point, and I was determined to change things on the third bunch sprint. I went head-to-head with him and won, a victory that I dedicated to my father, who at that time just had heart surgery.”

“My second Scheldeprijs in a row was also one to remember. We sprinters don’t get a lot of opportunities in one-day races nowadays and I was proud to be again the fastest in this important race after a remarkable work from my teammates.”

“I’ll continue chronologically here and stop at the Brussels Cycling Classic. That race came after an altitude training camp and it felt a bit like starting the season again. All eyes were on me because they knew I would go to the Tour, and the race was harder last season, but in the end, we still had a bunch sprint. It was a nervous finish on an uphill drag, and winning there gave me a big morale-boost for Le Tour.”

“After not contesting the first flat stage of the Tour de France due to not being present in the echelons, I was incredibly motivated for the next opportunity that we got. It was very hectic out there in the finale and I lost Bert’s wheel due to the headwind and the nervousness in the peloton with two kilometers to go, but I managed to remain calm and take the victory. It was my first Tour de France stage win in four years, and definitely, one that I will always remember.”

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